Switch-stand.



T. A. GBRLACH.

SWITCH STAND.

APPLIUATION FILED 1320.31, 1913.

zo lfm' 0 THE MORRIS PETERS Ca, PHOTO-urna., WASHINGTON. D. c

ments of the rails.

@FETE STATES ATENT THOMAS A. GERLAOI-I, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-STAND.

incassa.

Application filed December 31. 1913. Serial No. 809,611.

To all 'whom tt may concer/n.'

Be it known Athat I, THOMAS A.. GERLACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harvey, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switch-Stands, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to switch stands and has for its object the provision of an improved kind of switch stand which shall be secured in either one of its limiting positions to hold the switch in a given position when a train is operating over the tracks, but which has means permitting reversal of the switch stand and theswitch should a train trail through the switch, the switch being set for the opposite track. The switch stand furthermore has means whereby the operating lever is automatically locked in either one of its limiting positions whenever a train passes through a switch, the operating lever being again locked in its new position after operation.

My improved switch stand is further provided with means whereby the operating lever may be manually thrown from one position to its alternative position and a suitable root lever may be provided to assist in this manual operation by releasing the operating lever. The latch stand however has means to automatically receive and lock the said lever.

l will explain one form which my invention may take more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating said form, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a stand constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line cle-a of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line -b of Fig. 2, and Fig. l is a sectional view on line c-c of Fig. 2.

Referring more specically to Fig. 1, I show a switch stand 1 having a switch bar 2 which of course in the usual manner is adapted to be connected to the switch ele- The switch stand has an operating lever `3 which through the interposition of suitable mechanism within the switch stand 1 is of course associated with the switch'bar 2 so that the switch bar 2 t places the switch in either one of its alternative positions depending upon the position occupied by the operating lever 3. I have two latch stands a and 5 respectively forming part of my improved structure which are adapted alternately to receive and hold the operating lever 3. These latch stands each include a guide post 6 and a latch supporting post 7. The post 7 has a movable latch S pivotally mounted upon the pin 9. The `latch 8 which will be more fully described presently is adapted to engage a shiftable tongue 10 carried by the operating lever 3. The tongue 1() forms part of a movable structure shown more clearly in Fig. 3 which has the two socket members 11 and 12 united with the tongue 10 and also united at their rear by a bridge 13. An opening 14 is thus provided in this movable structure which encircles the guide post 6. This movable structure is held in place upon the operating lever 3 by the two studs 15, 16 cooperating with the springs 17 which are mounted within the sockets 11 and 12. By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the springs 17 tend to press this movable structure including the tongue 10 against the operating lever 3, but that this movable structure is enabled to assume the dotted position shown in Fig. 3 against the pressure of the springs 17 when suflicient pressure of course is exerted to overcome the resistance of these springs. It will be seen that the opening 14 is large enough to permit the tongue 10 to slide to its dotted position as shown in Fig. 3 without interfering with the guide post 6. l/Vhen this tongue 10 is in the dotted position shown in Fig. 3 it occupies a position such that the operating lever 3 may be moved out of the position it is shown as occupying in Fig. 2 without interfering` with the latch 8. Now the lower surface of the latch 8 as shown at 18 has an inclining surface to permit the tongue 10 to move toward the left (F ig. 2), whenever sufficient force is exerted against the switch bar 2 tending to reverse the position of the operating lever 3. Under these conditions the tongue 10 by sliding alongthe surface 1S will be pushed to the left (Fig. 2) until it has cleared the latch 8, thus being released, say from the latch stand 1, whereafter upon its further movement it engages the latch stand 5. N ow whenever the switch lever 3 is moving into engagemeent with a latch stand, the tongue 10 of course rides upon the upper surface 19 of the latch 8 and moves the latch in a contraclockwise direction (Fig. 2) to permit the operating lever to occupy the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the overweighted latch 8 again occupies the position shown in Fig. 2 to prevent normal displacement of the operating lever 3 by holding it in position eX- y cept should an unusual force be applied such as would be occasioned by a train, for instance, running through a switch to thereby reverse the switch and the position of the operating lever 3.

The latch-v 8 as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 4, being pivoted as stated on the spindle 9, is overweighted so as to occupy the position shown in Fig. 2. The latch may occupy the alternative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 either when the operating lever is moving into position or in response to an actuation of the foot lever 2O which engages a downwardly extending arm of the latch 8. This foot lever 20 is pivoted -upon a stud 2l and by stepping upon this foot lever it is readily apparent that the latch 8 may be swung into a contra-clockwise direction (Fig. 2) to permit release of the operating lever 3. The latch 8 has the weighted portion 22 so that it normally occupies the position as shown at 22. The latch post 7 is bifurcated as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 to permit the narrow tongue forming part of the latch 8 to enter between the bifurcated sections to occupy the dotted position shown in Fig. 2.

The latch is provided with an ear as shown in dotted lines at 23, and the latch stand likewise has an ear 24 so that the latch may be locked in position on the latch stand if so desired. Furthermore a bolt 25 is provided which is also carried by a boss on the latch post 7, which bolt has an elon gated slot 26 so that it can be moved into the position shown in Fig. 2 to rest over the lever 3 or can be moved to the right of Fig. 2 and fall out of the path of said lever. This bolt 25 likewise has an ear 27 which likewise has a hole to register with the holes in the ears 23, 24 so that all three can be locked together, thus locking the lever 3 against movement, should it be desired to do so.

From what has been described the nature of my invention will of course be clear, and it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention herein disclosed.

Having however thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit automatic disengagement of said lever from its lassociatedl latch Ystand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever.

2. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the saine in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an eX- traordinary force to said lever.

3. A switch stand having an operating i lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging overweighted latch adapt#L ed to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever.

4. A switchstand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, and a foot lever for swinging said latch out of the path of said operating lever.

5. A switch stand having anv operating lever, a pair of latch stands eachprovided with a swinging overweightedV latch adapted to automatically receive saidlever and hold the same in a limiting position,'yield ing means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its asso` ciated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, and a foot lever for swinging said latch outot1 the path of said operating lever.

6. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever Vtov-permit dis'- engagement of said lever `from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said yield-` ing means including a tongue and a spring adapted to press said tongue normally into the path of said latch.

7. A switch stand having an operating press said tongue normally into the path of l said latch.

tol

8. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging overweighted latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated `latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said yielding means including a tongue and a spring adapted to press said tongue normally into the path of said latch.

9. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, yielding means carried by said lever' to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, and a foo-t lever for swinging said latch out of the path of said operating lever, said yielding means including a tongue and a spring adapted to press said tongue normally into the path of said latch.

10. A switch stand having an operating lever7 a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said yielding means including a sliding framework, a tongue proj ecting therefrom and a spring pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch.

11. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging overweighted latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried hy said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said yielding means including a sliding framework` a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch.

12. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, and a foot lever for swinging said latch out of the path of said operating lever, said yielding means including a sliding framework, a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch.

13. A switch stand having an operating lever, a. pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same ih a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said yielding means including a sliding framework, a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch, said latch having an inclined tongue engaging surface.

14. A switch stand having an operating lever, a. pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging o-verweighted latch adapted to automatically receive saidlever and hold the samein a limiting position, and yielding means carried hy said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said `yielding means including a sliding framework, a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch, said latch having an inclined tongue engaging surface.

15. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, yielding means carried hy said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, and a foot lever for swinging said latch out of the path of said operating lever, said yielding means including a sliding framework, a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch, said latch having an inclined tongue engaging surface.

16. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force to said lever, said yielding means including' a sliding framework, a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch, said latch having an inclined tongue engaging surface, and a guide post associated with Said latch stand.

17. A switch stand having an operating lever, a pair of latch stands each provided with a swinging overweighted latch adapted to automatically receive said lever and hold the same in a limiting position, and yielding means carried by said lever to permit disengagement of said lever from its associated latch stand upon the application of an extraordinary force tov said lever, said yielding means including a sliding framework, a tongue projecting therefrom and springs pressing said tongue normally into the path of said latch, said latchhaving an inclined tongue engaging surface, and a guide post associated with said latch stand.

18. In a switch stand a lever having yielding means for automatically releasing said lever from a latch stand.

19. In a switch stand a lever having yielding means for automatically receiving and releasing said lever from a latch stand.

20. A switch stand lever having yielding means to control the release and recep` tion of said lever in a retaining device.

21. A switch stand lever having yielding means to control the release of said lever in a retaining device.

22. A switch stand lever having yielding means to nullil'y the action of said yielding means. c

25. A switch stand lever having yielding means to control the automatic release and reception of said lever ina retaining device,

and means to nullify the action of saidyielding means. y Y

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this' 16th day of December, A. D.,

THOMAS A. GERLACI-I. Witnesses: Y

A. L. JONES, H. A. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner offlPatents,

Washington, D. C. 

